No, I’m not a pious ex-smoker. I still take a puff on occasion, especially when I’m outside of the U.S., where smoking isn’t villified as much. But like beer companies sponsoring scholarship programs for Latino youth (and I love beer, by the way), I’m not cool with tobacco companies targeting kids. Activists aren’t either:

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is urging state attorneys general to investigate R.J. Reynolds Tobacco’s new “Kool be true” campaign and other industry promotional practices they say are covertly aimed at Hispanic youths.

As part of the campaign, R.J. Reynolds recently placed an eight-page color ad in “Latina” magazine featuring the musicians and the line: “It’s about pursuing your ambitions and staying connected to your roots.”

I haven’t seen the ad itself, but if that’s what it says — if it implies that smoking is somehow related to aspiring to big things and being connected to one’s cultural roots — well, that’s just sick.

The company’s spokesperson’s words weren’t exactly comforting:

“Kool is a multicultural brand,” he said. “Do we want adult Hispanics to smoke our brand? Yeah. Just like we want African-Americans and whites to smoke our brands.”

God. Their PR person should be fired. Not even a facade of concern a la Phillip Morris company? Pathetic. Yes, they want everyone to smoke. They are equal opportunity millionaires and will put their money where they believe it pays off. Before it was the black community, now it’s the Latino community.

Via / The Sun-Sentinel